In a game-changer shift for diabetes management, American pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has announced a breakthrough that could free millions of diabetics from painful daily injections.
See the tweet below.
The company’s new weight loss pill, orforglipron, successfully reduced blood sugar and body weight in Type 2 diabetes patients during late-stage clinical trials.
It potentially offers a convenient alternative to the current injection-based treatments dominating the market.
Unlike many “miracle cures” pushed by Big Pharma and their allies in the federal government, this innovation represents genuine American ingenuity addressing a real health crisis affecting hardworking citizens.
With over 37 million Americans suffering from diabetes and many more struggling with obesity, this oral medication could provide relief without the discomfort and inconvenience of injections.
The development comes at a critical time when many patients cannot access popular injectable treatments like Ozempic and Wegovy due to widespread shortages and prohibitive costs not covered by insurance.
The pill works similarly to injectable medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro by targeting GLP-1 hormones that regulate blood sugar and appetite.
In the 40-week trial, patients taking the highest dose lost up to 16 pounds – nearly 8% of their body weight – while also significantly reducing their blood sugar levels.
Over 65% of participants achieved healthy A1C readings of 6.5% or less, demonstrating the pill’s effectiveness in managing the disease without requiring invasive needles.
Eli Lilly said preliminary data from a late-stage study showed that its weight-loss drug significantly reduced the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes among adults with prediabetes and obesity or overweight https://t.co/mQvr4la6r3 https://t.co/mQvr4la6r3
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) August 20, 2024
Dr. Dan Skovronsky, Eli Lilly’s chief scientific officer, explained the breakthrough:
“Everybody knows GLP-1s now, and they’re sort of famous as injectable peptide drugs, but we’ve engineered this now into a new kind of molecule that can be taken as a pill form.”
Moreover, this innovation represents American pharmaceutical leadership at its finest.
It creates solutions that improve quality of life while potentially reducing healthcare costs for millions of families struggling with chronic conditions.
If approved by the FDA, orforglipron would become only the second oral GLP-1 medication available in the United States, following Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus.
However, unlike Rybelsus, Lilly’s pill does not require patients to follow strict dietary restrictions, making it more convenient for everyday Americans.
The company plans to submit the drug for FDA approval as a weight loss treatment by the end of 2025 and as a diabetes treatment in 2026.
Yet, the notoriously slow and bureaucratic approval process could delay access for patients who need relief now.
Like most medications, orforglipron is not without side effects. About 8% of patients on the highest dose discontinued due to adverse reactions, mainly gastrointestinal issues like nausea and vomiting.
These side effects are comparable to those experienced with injectable alternatives, suggesting that patients will not face additional risks by choosing the more convenient oral option.
The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at the American Diabetes Association conference, providing transparency about the treatment’s efficacy and safety profile.
The market potential for this medication is substantial, with experts projecting that GLP-1 drugs could exceed $150 billion in annual sales by the early 2030s. Oral versions alone account for $50 billion of that market.
Ultimately, this represents a medical breakthrough and an economic opportunity for American pharmaceutical innovation to lead globally.
If manufactured at scale, orforglipron could address the supply shortfalls currently plaguing injectable treatments and ensure that more Americans have access to these life-changing medications at reasonable prices without government interference in the free market.
